The Avatar and the Fire Lord
by BlueLucied
Summary: The Order of the White Lotus vowed to protect the Avatar, and know what's best for young Korra. Fire Lord Zuko disagrees. A:TLA/LoK AU, beginning three years before LoK.
1. Prologue

_Her name is Korra._

Fire Lord Zuko sighed and put down the paperwork in front of him, fingers going to their usual place right on the bridge of his nose. Beneath the various reports and detritus of ruling a nation that littered his desk were three items, all of equal importance. One was a recent letter from Katara. Another was a newspaper clipping that showed a picture of smiling family from the Southern Water Tribe; a mother and father and their little girl who was holding one fist up in the air in what could be triumph. The third item was a rather short missive from the current Grand Lotus, slightly singed.

It said, in what could be called _polite_ terms, that they had found the Avatar; that she was under the good care of the Order and would remain so, that she would start training with the resident Waterbending Master, and that there was no need for the Fire Lord to send any sort of help since they had plenty of bending masters that could be summoned when needed.

That had been one month ago. _Two months_ after the newspapers had informed the world of the Avatar's return.

Katara was the one who had finally let him know the girl's name. The Order was being rather secretive about everything and about Korra, her letter had said. She would stay in the South Pole for her Waterbending Training. It was commendable how dedicated they were to Avatar Aang's last wish, to keep the Avatar safe.

Zuko moved to pick up a missive from the clutter, something about the Navy's activity against smugglers around the United Republic of Nations. But his mind was somewhere else.

The Avatar was a four year-old girl. A four year-old girl who had just been told she was going to be the most important person in the world.

_The Avatar is twelve years old and an idiot._

It didn't bode well, if Avatar Kuruk's history was any example. As far as he knew, the Water Tribes did not hold to the tradition of informing the Avatar of their identity at the proper age. At least not the Northern Tribe. Months after Avatar Aang's passing, (it still seemed like yesterday when he received that news, still hurt to think about it) they had already claimed to have the next Avatar, and had continued to insist that the Avatar had been born into their tribe until Korra's existence had been revealed.

Zuko had to trust that the White Lotus knew what they were doing. They were good people, dedicated to keeping the world in balance. He'd seen their dedication first-hand for years, from the Hundred Year War to the founding of the United Republic, and all of the crises that had arisen since.

Still. Their secretive handling of Korra left a bad feeling in his gut. He hadn't even been invited to meet the girl, for Agni's sake!

With that in mind Zuko put the Navy report he was holding down, then pulled a fresh sheet of paper from a drawer with one hand while pushing aside the mess in front of him with the other. Katara would be expecting a reply. It would be rude to keep her waiting.

He had a promise to keep to an old friend.

* * *

**AN- And so I have bravely tossed this out into the wild. With a quick dedication to Harp (aka PlaidButterfly) I would like to ask, if there is anyone who likes this plotbunny, I'd love to have a beta to help me change this one-shot into proper storytiems. **


	2. Water

_Water._

Over time, the excitement of announcing the new Avatar fades and the wheels of the world continue to turn. The Order of the White Lotus promises to work in the Avatar's stead as while she grows up. Most of the world is content to wait.

Korra is six, and is everything Aang was not. The words 'stubborn' and 'reckless' are repeated often in Katara's letters, of which there are quite a few now. She has been keeping him and Toph informed of her progress.

Toph can't wait for Korra to begin her Earthbending training, saying that she has even more to teach the Avatar this time around, that she can't wait to teach someone who's head isn't stuck in the clouds. There is also a little note of wistfulness, and the only thing the Fire Lord can attribute it to is that, for her all her bravado and bluster, she still misses her friend.

He's sure they all do.

The letters also detail the Order's plans, and the Zuko is concerned. There is talk of a base in the South Pole to be used for the Avatar's training and safety. One of the more recent ones uses the word 'compound'.

Zuko isn't sure how he should feel about that.

* * *

Katara can only watch as over the span of weeks, the massive walls are brought up from the ice. Ships come and go, delivering more materials and parts, along with a massive set of doors that will be the last to go up, the final touch on the White Lotus' compound.

Compound. She has to admit that there is something unnerving about it. A gilded cage for the Avatar, walls and guards for a girl who still didn't fully understand it. All Korra knew was that she was important, and that the grand structure that dwarfed the whole village was being built for her. She was, understandably, excited by the prospect. Her parents, or more specifically, Senna, was not.

Every step of construction was viewed by the woman with a sort of wary trepidation that had reached a breaking point the night that Korra was to be officially moved in. There was a small festival, and the little girl was all smiles and cheers as she was given a Grand Tour, old masters tailing her; explaining all the grand things she would do and accomplish as Avatar; stories of Kyoshi, of the last Water Tribe Avatar, Kuruk, and of course, tales of Avatar Aang. The day ended on a high note, a sort of peaceful atmosphere in place.

Afterwards, however, Katara had received a sobbing Senna in her small home, and her and Kya had stayed up with her through the night, trying to console her that it was for the best, and that it would all be worth it in the end. Her daughter was not far, and the White Lotus wouldn't be as heartless as to deny her time with Korra.

Even as she said them, the words felt wooden, Kya giving her mother a look that said she felt the same. When it was finally morning time, she volunteered to take Senna back to her own igloo, leaving Katara alone with her thoughts. And think she did, more specifically of an off-hand suggestion that had been made in one of Zuko's notes. It really did have merit, and Katara had been hesitant to even give it consideration, just because separating a girl from her parents was almost an unthinkable thing to do.

Almost.

If the White Lotus were willing to break apart a family, what else would they be willing to do?

The thought sent shivers down Katara's spine that had nothing to do with the perpetual chill of the South Pole.

* * *

**AN:** Oh hey wow finally the next chapter! I'm so sorry it's late, it's been a hard one to hammer out, and I still dislike that it's so short. A quick thanks to all the folks who've fav'd and followed and reviewed! I promise, one more prologue chapter before we really get started!


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